Story+1999-10-28+Oakland,+CA

(sings ‘It’s Alright’ and ‘Take Me to the River’) That’s right.....that’s where I wanna go....I wanna go to that river...the river of life....and the river of love.....the river of hope.…and the river of faith....the river of sanctification….the river of transformation….I want to be transformed….and the river of resurrection where everybody has a second chance.....and that river of sexual healing…and companionship….that’s where I wanna go tonight and I want you to go with me.... because I need to go with you ….that’s why we’re here…..that´s why I´m here…. because I found out that you can’t get there by yourself....you can try and everybody tries, running and hiding….but in the end you can´t get there by yourself….so I found myself, as a young man, one evening, I was standing before a dark grove of trees….I was frightened to pass through those trees even though I knew that on the other side the river of life, the river of meaningful life and cold beer at a reasonable price was waiting….but I stood there paralyzed, my legs were like stone, my arms were like lead and I knew that feeling because I’d felt it a thousand times before, I said ‘Man, I ain’t going, I’m gonna run….because that´s what I know how to do and that’s what I’m good at….running’….then I heard a voice and a sweet sound coming through the trees…help me, Profesor! (Roy plays)….and I stepped into the trees and there was a gypsy woman !….and I told her my problems and she said ‘Son….you’re gonna be alright….but what you need is….you need a band, you need some help’….and that’s why I’d like to introduce the dean of the university of musical perversity, the Secretary of intelligence, Professor Roy Bittan on the piano....standing with me at the riverside….I wanna introduce the Secretary of faith and friendship, keeper of all that is righteous on E Street, star of the ‘Sopranos’, Little Steven Van Zandt on the guitar ….with me, brother, at the riverside….I wanna introduce the foundation of the E Street nation, Southern man, Mr.Garry W.Tallent.…he just turned 50, he looks good standing with me on the riverside….the Minister of the mighty beat, the Secretary of syncopation, star of Late Night Television, bring the power, Mighty Max Weinberg on the drums....standing with me at the riverside….Secretary of heart and spirit, Godfather of the guitar, the great Nils Lofgren....with me at the riverside, brother…. the Minister of mystery, Secretary of all things unfathomable here on E Street, Brother Dan Federici on the organ and the accordion....stand with me at the riverside, yes, Sir….but you can’t get there without love in your life….I wanna say brunettes are fine and blondes are fun but when it comes to getting a dirty job done, it takes a (crowd : ‘Red headed woman’) yeah, man, I’m talking ‘bout a (crowd : ‘Red headed woman’) I´ve got to have myself a (crowd : ‘Red headed woman’) yeah, man, I’m talking ‘bout a (crowd : ‘Red headed woman’) Coming to get you, baby (crowd : ‘Red headed woman’) in the midnight hour now, sing it, kid (Patti sings a bit of ‘Rumble Doll’)….First Lady of love and sweet harmony, Miss Patti Scialfa on the guitar and vocals…..and now I can see through to the banks of that river and there were people waving all around, with their hands in the air….but there was still something missing….something essential….something fundamental….something that we couldn’t go on without….do I have to say his name ?....do I have to say his name ?… say who ?….say who ?…say who ?….say who ?…say who ?…say who ? …say who ?…say who ?…say who ?….say who ?…”
 * 28.10.99 Oakland, CA, middle of ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze Out’**

‘‘I wanna do this tonight for the folks that are here from the California Rural Legal Assistance….they´re a legal services program with 17 offices in communities from the Mexican border up to Northern California and they fight on behalf of migrant farm workers and new immigrants, single mothers, the elderly, in poor communities throughout the state, they, uh…..they represent those with no other voice or other legal representation….and they´re dedicated to winning humane living- and working conditions for the poorest of the California poor….they´re an important and they're an essential organization here in California…and uh, I´ve been with them through the central part of the state, and there´s still plenty of folks in conditions barely removed from….from the Okies in ‘Grapes of Wrath’…so they´re, they provide valuable service and assistance and they can really use your help and support, they´re called the California Rural Legal Assistance, they´ll be out in the lobby, you should check ‘em out….”
 * 28.10.99 Oakland, CA, intro to ‘The Ghost of Tom Joad’**

‘‘‘Frisco !….Oakland !….Alameda !….but everywhere I´ve gone, I´ve seen people lost in the wilderness.…I´ve seen people lost in bitterness….I´ve seen people lost in confusion ….I’ve seen people lost on the cellphones….I´ve seen people lost in loneliness….lost in faithlessness….well, ladies and gentlemen, we’re trained professionals and we’re here tonight on a search-and-rescue mission…on a search-and-rescue mission….on a search-and-rescue mission….if you´ve been downhearted, disspirited, disgusted, dispossessed, downsized, analyzed, stigmatized, fractionalized, paralyzed, retro-psychedelicized, Pokemonized, pass-the-tax-deducts-for-rich-Republicanised….it ain’t too late to repent, you can still save yourself….because I´m here….re-educate, to resuscitate, to regenerate, to reconfiscate, to reindoctrinate, to resexualate, to reillustrate, to rededicate, to reliberate you with the power and the glory, with the power and the glory, with the power and the glory, with the power and the glory, and the majesty and the mystery….with the ministry of rock and roll !….that´s right…. that´s right….that´s right….that´s right….that´s right….that´s right….but unlike my competitors, I shall not, I shall not, I shall not, I will not promise you life everlasting, but I can promise you life right now!....and all you gotta do is raise your hand and say ´I´....”
 * 28.10.99 Oakland, CA, middle of ‘Light of Day’**

//Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi//